Meet Krystal M. Harris of McDonough, GA

Today we’d like to introduce you to Krystal M. Harris.

Hi Krystal M. , please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
At 18, I packed up my life and moved to Los Angeles to chase my dream of becoming an actress. I dove headfirst into auditions and was blessed to appear in both film and television, including About Last Night, Love Unplugged, and series like The Oval and Shameless.

But even in those wins, I felt something missing. The stories I was a part of didn’t always reflect the depth or impact I wanted to have. That’s what pushed me to begin writing and eventually producing and directing, where I could create projects with more purpose.

Life shifted when I became a single mom. I needed stability for my daughter, so I moved to Atlanta. It was a leap of faith, away from the familiar industry circles of LA. But that’s where I produced my short film, The New Jim Crow: Majority Rules, which landed on Amazon and won 8 awards.

Right after that success, God called me to go back to school. That was a moment of complete surrender — leaving behind momentum I had worked so hard to build, and trusting that this detour was part of His plan. It required full faith.

In School, I discovered a whole new side of myself , turns out that I am not just a creative, but someone who genuinely enjoyed business and even more specifically… crunching numbers. After my first business class I changed my major to Accounting. Today, I’m a double major in English (finishing what I started when I first went to school) and Accounting. Not only that, I am set to join one of the top Accounting firms in the nation in the fall of 2026.

Along the way, another passion that had been with me for years came back to the forefront: fitness. I’ve always been passionate about health and movement, but I never enjoyed traditional gym workouts. I first discovered Pilates through aerial arts and was immediately drawn to its whole-life benefits — not just for the body, but for the mind and spirit. Over ten years ago, I dreamed of one day becoming an instructor.

That dream became a reality when I not only became a certified instructor but also opened my own Pilates studio in McDonough. It wasn’t easy, the process was filled with red tape, financing challenges, and the uphill battle of being a Black woman trying to secure a multi-hundred-thousand-dollar loan. There were moments that almost broke me. But persistence and faith carried me through, and today that dream has grown into a thriving community of people finding strength, balance, and confidence.

And while my journey has included detours, I never left the entertainment world. I still work in the industry and have been teaching students in my own acting studio in McDonough for the last five years. God has shown me that there are many paths to success, and that my winding road is equipping me for the ventures that lie ahead, in entertainment, community, faith, family, and wellness.

Looking back, it took me 18 years of striving in my own strength to see what faith, persistence, and obedience could accomplish in a fraction of that time. My story is one of trusting the process, pivoting when necessary, and holding onto the belief that even detours can lead you exactly where you’re meant to be. Finding a sisterhood in Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc., as an honorary member was truly just icing on the cake. I have since been invited to speak at Sorority events, and community building events that align with my purpose, proving that you truly never know who is watching and who your life impacts.

And there are still a few stories left inside of me. But that’s a topic for the next big venture. Hint… we’re coming to screens near you in the very near future.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road at all. In fact, if there is one thing my journey has taught me, it is that the road to purpose is rarely straight or easy.

When I first moved to Los Angeles at 18, I had so much ambition but very little stability. I faced constant rejection, competition, and the pressure to “make it” in an industry that can be unforgiving. There were seasons when I felt invisible, and yet I still had to find the strength to keep showing up to auditions and keep believing in myself.

Becoming a single mom changed everything. Suddenly the stakes were higher. It was no longer just about pursuing a dream, it was about providing for my daughter. That responsibility is what eventually pushed me to move to Atlanta and to start searching for a different kind of stability.

Even when I began to experience success as a filmmaker with The New Jim Crow: Majority Rules I faced a different kind of challenge. God was calling me to go back to school, to leave behind the momentum I had worked so hard to build, and to trust Him completely. That was not easy. It was a season of sacrifice, where I had to choose obedience over visibility. It required faith when everything in me wanted to keep pushing forward in my own strength.

Opening my Pilates studio was another uphill battle. The process was filled with red tape, overwhelming paperwork, and the difficulty of trying to secure a large loan as a Black woman. There were moments I wondered if I was crazy to even try. There were days I thought it might all fall apart before it began.

On top of that, I had to juggle multiple roles: mother, student, business owner, and creative. There were times when I was studying late into the night after my daughter went to bed, and other mornings when I was up before dawn preparing to serve clients at the studio. There were moments of exhaustion, doubt, and financial strain.

But those struggles shaped me. They taught me resilience, persistence, and the importance of faith. They reminded me that success is not always about speed, but about endurance. Every obstacle became preparation for the next opportunity. And even though the road has been far from smooth, it has been purposeful every step of the way.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
At my core, I am a storyteller. Acting was my first love, and over the years it grew into writing, producing, and directing. What drives me is not just being in front of the camera, but creating work that matters, stories that reflect truth, inspire change, and give voice to perspectives that are often overlooked. I am most proud of my film The New Jim Crow: Majority Rules, which went on to win multiple awards, including Best First Time Female Director, and later landed on Amazon. That project affirmed for me that when you create with purpose, the impact can reach further than you ever imagined.

Today, I continue to work in the industry while also teaching students at my own acting studio, Muse Acting and Recording Studio, in McDonough. Guiding new talent, especially in my own community, has been one of the most rewarding parts of this journey. And what sets Muse apart is the perspective I bring. I have worked in nearly every field it takes to make a film. I was an actress, I wrote scripts, I directed, I produced, and I even ran my own casting firm in Los Angeles, where I cast major music videos and TV movies.

Because of that, when actors come to me for coaching or self-tapes, they are not just getting another pair of eyes. They are getting the insight of a casting director, a director, a producer, and a fellow actor who understands the process from every angle. I use all of that to help bring auditions to life in a way that has landed many of my clients breakthrough roles: from Leads in Netflix films to Series Regulars and Recurring roles on television.

What makes me proudest is not just the wins, but the transformation I get to witness. Watching someone walk into the studio unsure of themselves, and then seeing them walk out with confidence, clarity, and doing their best to book a role…that is the heart of why I do what I do.
I believe that creativity is not just a career but a calling, and it is a privilege to pour into others as they discover their own gifts.

What also sets me apart is that my creative life does not exist in isolation. It runs parallel with my work as a business owner and a professional. I opened my Pilates studio in McDonough to bring health, balance, and strength to a community that did not have access to this type of movement. The process was not easy, but it grew into a space where people are finding confidence and transformation. On the professional side, I am also completing a double major in English and Accounting and will be joining Deloitte in 2026. It may sound like three different paths, but to me they are deeply connected.

Each part of my work is about building. In entertainment, I build stories. In fitness, I build community. In accounting, I build foundations for future ventures. What I am most proud of is that all of it flows from the same place: faith, persistence, and a willingness to follow God’s lead even when the road looks different than I expected.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I do not really believe in luck. For me, everything has been about faith, persistence, and preparation meeting opportunity. Some people might look at certain moments in my career and call them “lucky breaks,” but I see them as divine timing.

When I was in Los Angeles, some of the opportunities I had to act or to step into a new role behind the camera might have looked like luck on the outside. But the truth is, I had spent years preparing, showing up, training, and saying yes to rooms where I did not always feel qualified. What looked like a lucky moment was really the result of consistency and God’s hand opening doors.

The same is true for my Pilates studio. Some might say I was lucky to find the right location or the right timing to launch, but I know the reality. It took countless applications, rejections, and persistence to finally secure financing, especially as a Black woman navigating so many barriers and systemic hurdles…that was not luck. That was determination, obedience, and God moving in ways I could not on my own.

Even the struggles that could be labeled “bad luck”, but the setbacks, delays, and rejections, were actually necessary pivots that shaped me for the next chapter, and many of them wound up being so divinely timed. If I had not experienced them, I would not have had the resilience or the faith that I have today.

So instead of luck, I believe in alignment. I believe that when you keep showing up, keep doing the work, and keep your faith strong, what others call luck is really preparation meeting God’s timing.

Pricing:

• Muse Acting and Recording Studio: Free “Business of Acting” Consultation for new clients to assess goals and provide a roadmap. Private coaching and self-tape sessions: starting at $70 per hour (SAG-AFTA members receive 10% discount on every service)
• Pilates Studio in McDonough: Free Intro Class offered weekly Drop-in classes: $32 Memberships starting at $99 per month
• Speaking & Workshops: Keynote speaking, learning labs, and creative workshops: pricing available upon request Customizable sessions for schools, community groups, and faith-based organizations

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.museactingstudio.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/krystalmharris/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialKrystalmharris/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krystalmharris
• Other: https://www.krystalmuseinc.com/